Page 12 - LRCC May 2021 Focus

State of the

The Next
State of the 2020 Step Forward
Lansing Region Lansing Region

Clinton • • Eaton • • Ingham • • Shiawassee
Clinton
Eaton
Benchmarking Report
Ingham
Shiawassee
The Next Step Forward

s we enter a new decade, the Lansing region, Region Benchmarking is a unified focus on how
encompassing Ingham, Eaton, Clinton, and Report compares the to position our region
AShiawassee counties is in a solid place. Cranes Lansing region on and to come together
are in the sky. There are an estimated $3.2 billion 42 indicators relative with a plan that will
in current new investments, with hundreds of to 11 peer regions: Among the 42 economic build on the strength of
millions more and thousands of jobs expected. Ann Arbor, Mich.; indicators compared in the 2019 our community,” said
The Lansing region has successfully positioned Columbus, Ohio; Des April Clobes, CEO,
itself nationally and globally, competing for and Moines, Iowa; Durham, report, four areas stand out MSU Federal Credit
attracting significant foreign investment from N.C.; Grand Rapids, for short-term strategic focus Union.
Fortune 500 companies. Mich.; Greenville,
S.C.; Hartford, Conn.; based on their impact on long- The report was launched
Though the future looks bright, a group of Indianapolis, Ind.; term economic growth. They are in 2019, pre-Covid
community leaders has been pushing to accelerate Madison, Wis.; pandemic, and the
efforts to compete for future jobs and investments. Minneapolis/St. Paul, population growth, educational resulting disruption
The Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce Minn., and Nashville, attainment, private sector is not reflected in the
(LRCC), the Lansing Area Economic Partnership Tenn. report’s data. The data
(LEAP), and ten other regional partners growth, and affordability. collected in the report
determined the next step for the region was to gain “The number one is viewed as a strong
an accurate assessment of where our region stands objective I see for this framework that allows
in comparison to other thriving communities. is to raise awareness for leaders in the Lansing partners to develop a blueprint going forward.
After benchmarking the Lansing region against 11 area is that we are competing against some pretty Anderson Economic will update the data twice
communities, the group resolved it would develop strong other metropolitan areas,” said Patrick in the next two to four years, allowing the region
specific strategies to move the region forward. Anderson, principal, Anderson Economic Group. to assess the impact of COVID more fully and
“We have strengths to bring to that race and we further adjust strategies and tactics as economic
“For us to take that next big jump as a region, we have weaknesses to address. If we focus on those, circumstances continue to evolve.
felt that we needed some priority areas,” said Tim we will do well.”
Daman, president & CEO, LRCC. “It gives us a great scorecard to know how we are
“Many business owners feel they are lucky to be doing and have meaningful conversations around
“We felt it was time for the region to mature to the in this region and sense many benefits. But we metrics,” said Patrick Dean, vice president of business
next level,” said Bob Trezise, president & CEO, have lacked the fact base, lacked the vocabulary development, Dean Transportation. “The findings
LEAP. “We need to enter the major leagues from to represent this to others, lacked the physical will allow us to implement policies and develop goals
the minor leagues.” presentation tools,” said Wendy Hamilton, for our region so that 15, 20, and 30 years from now
CEO of TechSmith and chair of the LRCC we can be the community that we want to be and have
Upon receiving support from the area’s business Board of Directors. “The greatest value is the a lot of solid growth in our region.”
leaders and local stakeholders, LRCC and LEAP communication value – we can more easily share
commissioned Anderson Economic Group to what makes our region special.” “We must clearly understand our strengths and
conduct a benchmarking study for the Lansing opportunities for improvement, and for the
region. The resulting inaugural State of the Lansing “The greatest value the report can bring to the region first time ever, the State of the Lansing Region

12 FOCUS / MAY 2021 LANSINGCHAMBER.ORG 13